Ketch
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The ketch was developed in England and North America during the 17th century as a small coastal trading vessel with a capacity of about 50 tons. Whilst the sails are essentially the same pattern as the brigantine â two masts, square-rigged on the fore and gaff-rigged with square-rigged topsails on the aft â there is a notable difference in that the fore-mast is the taller of the two.
Many ketch-rigged yachts of today use Bermudian-rig instead of gaff-rig on the mizzen (aft) mast.